Sanford, Maine
USA /
Maine /
Sanford /
World
/ USA
/ Maine
/ Sanford
World / United States / New Hampshire
town (New England / New York), draw only border
Sanford is in the western portion of a tract of land purchased in 1661 from Abenaki Chief Fluellin by Major William Phillips, an owner of mills in Saco. First called Phillipstown, it was willed in 1696 by Mrs. Phillips to her former husband's son, Peleg Sanford. Settlement was delayed, however, during the French and Indian Wars. Incited by New France, Indian warriors from Norridgewock attacked English settlements, including nearby Wells in 1703. Then in 1724, Norridgewock was itself raided and destroyed by a Massachusetts militia. Subsequently, the region became less dangerous, and Sanford was settled in 1739. Incorporated a town in 1768, it was named after Peleg Sanford. Until 1794, Alfred was the town's North Parish.
The Mousam River provided water power for industry. In 1745, Captain David Morrison built a sawmill above Springvale. Following the Civil War, Sanford developed into a textile manufacturing center, connected to markets by the Portland and Rochester Railroad. Factories were built at both Springvale and Sanford villages. Products included cotton and woolen goods, carpets, shoes and lumber.
In 1867, British-born Thomas Goodall established Goodall Mills at Sanford, after selling another mill in 1865 at Troy, New Hampshire which made woolen blankets contoured to fit horses. His factory beside the Mousam River first manufactured carriage robes and blankets. It would expand to make mohair plush for upholstering railroad seats, carpets, draperies, auto fabrics, military uniform fabric and Palm Beach fabric for summer suits. The company's textiles were known for brilliant and fast colors, and found buyers worldwide. From 1880 to 1910, the mill town's population swelled from 2,700 to over 9,000, some living in houses built by the company and sold to workers at cost. In 1914, the Goodall family built Goodall Park, a 784 seat roofed stadium, now a treasured historic site. They also helped build the library, town hall, hospital, airport and golf club. A bronze statue was erected in 1917 to the memory of Thomas Goodall by the citizens of Sanford.
In 1954, Burlington Mills, then the nation's largest textile firm, bought Sanford Mills. After moving the looms to its Southern plants, Burlington closed Sanford Mills -- leaving 3,600 unemployed and 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) of empty mills. Local business owners began traveling the northeast, convincing new employers to move to the area. Life Magazine would call Sanford "the town that refused to die." It now has diversified industries, including the manufacture of aircraft parts. In the 1960s, the federal government offered money for urban renewal to rehabilitate aging or blighted districts. Consequently, more than thirty Sanford structures were razed. In Springvale, three of four corners were leveled. Fortunately, fine architectural examples from the prosperous mill era survived.
Sanford was the home of Belle Ashton Leavitt, the third woman attorney admitted to the Maine Bar Association. Leavitt was admitted to the Bar in 1900. [2] Leavitt operated in partnership with attorney Fred J. Allen, her brother-in-law (Allen was married to Belle's sister Ida Leavitt), and member of the Maine Legislature.[3]
The town gained national notoriety in 1984, when 12-year-old Gycelle Cote was strangled by Scott Waterhouse, then 18. Rumors of Satan worship surrounded the case, and some of Waterhouse's personal belonings were deemed to be occult in nature. These included a copy of Satanic Bible and a notebook carrying satanic poetry. The furor culminated in several tabloid stories and at least one headline referring to the town as "Terrortown!".
The town gained national notoriety again on November 9th 2009,when the Amber Alert system was used for the first time when 2 year old Haley Traynham was abducted by her father.
In 2003, a proposal to build a $650 million casino in South Sanford was rejected by Maine voters. The 362-acre (1.46 km2) development, ostensibly owned by the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy nations, would have encompassed 4,000 slot machines, 180 gaming tables, a hotel, a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) convention center and an 18 hole golf course. Proponents argued that it would add 4,700 permanent jobs and 25% of revenue would be directed to the state. Detractors predicted higher crime, traffic and an erosion of Maine's quality of life.[citation needed]
Sanford citizens are protected by Firefighter/EMT's working out of three fire stations located in Springvale, South Sanford, and Downtown Sanford. 3 Engines, 1 Ladder, and 1 Rescue are staffed 24 hours a day; 365 days a year. Authorized strength is 45 full-time fire personnel. SFD also provides Emergency Medical Services. All firefighters are required to have a Maine EMS license ranging from EMT-Basic to Paramedic. In 2007 SFD responded to 1,150 Fire Runs & 2,515 Medical Runs for a total of 3,665 emergencies.
The town of Sanford became a city with a new voter-approved (2012) charter, effective January 1, 2013.
The Mousam River provided water power for industry. In 1745, Captain David Morrison built a sawmill above Springvale. Following the Civil War, Sanford developed into a textile manufacturing center, connected to markets by the Portland and Rochester Railroad. Factories were built at both Springvale and Sanford villages. Products included cotton and woolen goods, carpets, shoes and lumber.
In 1867, British-born Thomas Goodall established Goodall Mills at Sanford, after selling another mill in 1865 at Troy, New Hampshire which made woolen blankets contoured to fit horses. His factory beside the Mousam River first manufactured carriage robes and blankets. It would expand to make mohair plush for upholstering railroad seats, carpets, draperies, auto fabrics, military uniform fabric and Palm Beach fabric for summer suits. The company's textiles were known for brilliant and fast colors, and found buyers worldwide. From 1880 to 1910, the mill town's population swelled from 2,700 to over 9,000, some living in houses built by the company and sold to workers at cost. In 1914, the Goodall family built Goodall Park, a 784 seat roofed stadium, now a treasured historic site. They also helped build the library, town hall, hospital, airport and golf club. A bronze statue was erected in 1917 to the memory of Thomas Goodall by the citizens of Sanford.
In 1954, Burlington Mills, then the nation's largest textile firm, bought Sanford Mills. After moving the looms to its Southern plants, Burlington closed Sanford Mills -- leaving 3,600 unemployed and 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) of empty mills. Local business owners began traveling the northeast, convincing new employers to move to the area. Life Magazine would call Sanford "the town that refused to die." It now has diversified industries, including the manufacture of aircraft parts. In the 1960s, the federal government offered money for urban renewal to rehabilitate aging or blighted districts. Consequently, more than thirty Sanford structures were razed. In Springvale, three of four corners were leveled. Fortunately, fine architectural examples from the prosperous mill era survived.
Sanford was the home of Belle Ashton Leavitt, the third woman attorney admitted to the Maine Bar Association. Leavitt was admitted to the Bar in 1900. [2] Leavitt operated in partnership with attorney Fred J. Allen, her brother-in-law (Allen was married to Belle's sister Ida Leavitt), and member of the Maine Legislature.[3]
The town gained national notoriety in 1984, when 12-year-old Gycelle Cote was strangled by Scott Waterhouse, then 18. Rumors of Satan worship surrounded the case, and some of Waterhouse's personal belonings were deemed to be occult in nature. These included a copy of Satanic Bible and a notebook carrying satanic poetry. The furor culminated in several tabloid stories and at least one headline referring to the town as "Terrortown!".
The town gained national notoriety again on November 9th 2009,when the Amber Alert system was used for the first time when 2 year old Haley Traynham was abducted by her father.
In 2003, a proposal to build a $650 million casino in South Sanford was rejected by Maine voters. The 362-acre (1.46 km2) development, ostensibly owned by the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy nations, would have encompassed 4,000 slot machines, 180 gaming tables, a hotel, a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) convention center and an 18 hole golf course. Proponents argued that it would add 4,700 permanent jobs and 25% of revenue would be directed to the state. Detractors predicted higher crime, traffic and an erosion of Maine's quality of life.[citation needed]
Sanford citizens are protected by Firefighter/EMT's working out of three fire stations located in Springvale, South Sanford, and Downtown Sanford. 3 Engines, 1 Ladder, and 1 Rescue are staffed 24 hours a day; 365 days a year. Authorized strength is 45 full-time fire personnel. SFD also provides Emergency Medical Services. All firefighters are required to have a Maine EMS license ranging from EMT-Basic to Paramedic. In 2007 SFD responded to 1,150 Fire Runs & 2,515 Medical Runs for a total of 3,665 emergencies.
The town of Sanford became a city with a new voter-approved (2012) charter, effective January 1, 2013.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford,_Maine
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 43°24'48"N 70°45'26"W
- Biddeford, Maine 21 km
- Greater Portland 43 km
- Gorham 48 km
- Standish, Maine 54 km
- Ossipee 63 km
- Moultonborough, New Hampshire 75 km
- Meredith, New Hampshire 78 km
- Bridgton 81 km
- Sandwich, New Hampshire 86 km
- Livermore, New Hampshire 109 km
- Sanford Regional Airport (SFM/KSFM) 4.6 km
- Springvale 6.3 km
- Mousam Lake 15 km
- Tuckahoe Turf Farm 15 km
- Northeast Pond 17 km
- Milton Pond 18 km
- East Rochester 18 km
- Square Pond 19 km
- Lovell Lake 25 km
- Great East Lake 25 km
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